Whitehorse Daily Star

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Cannabis sales inch toward $1-M mark

Yukoners have bought just shy of $1 million worth of cannabis products during the first two months it has become legal.

By Palak Mangat on December 28, 2018

Yukoners have bought just shy of $1 million worth of cannabis products during the first two months it has become legal.

The territory’s sole government-run retail site in the Marwell area of Whitehorse has brought in the vast majority of those sales.

That’s according to statistics provided by the Yukon Liquor Corp. (YLC) last week.

They show that online and retail sales totalled about $924,000 as of the end of Dec. 16 – marking the two-month mark since it became legal nationwide on Oct. 17.

Of that figure, more than 96 per cent of sales were made from the Yukon Cannabis store at 120B Industrial Rd. (amounting to $893,800).

The online store at cannabisyukon.org brought in the remainder of the sales at $30,200 (just over three per cent). The YLC is the organization that runs the online and retail stores.

The figures come as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who led the federal Liberals to power in 2015 in part on a promise to legalize cannabis, spoke to some of the more severe shortages facing jurisdictions earlier this month. Those areas include Quebec and Ontario.

Here at home, asked how the territory is faring in that picture, a corporation spokesperson explained it wasn’t as severe.

“YLC was able to order a sufficient supply to meet demand in the first two months, and we do not foresee any shortages in the future,” Scott Westerlaken, the marketing and social responsibility co-ordinator with the corporation, wrote earlier this month.

The group had about one month worth of supply on hand when the doors to the store opened to more 1,000 visitors in October. It has since received shipments to replenish the stock “on a regular basis.”

Among the popular products, he added, were whole-flower and pre-rolled ones, along with oils and capsules that are lower in supply but high in demand and vary from one-gram to 3.5-gram items.

Value prices products, which range from a retail price of about $6 to $9, is also where the main shortage is.

Westerlaken explained these products are available from producers and are on order, but the corporation has got its hands on it in limited quantities as of yet.

Those suppliers amount to about eight right now, as listed on the YLC’s webpage – all of whom had already delivered some inventory ahead of legalization day.

Westerlaken explained that it was “actively looking” to welcome more licensed producers onto its list.

Meanwhile, the federal cannabis rules allow for legal sale of dried cannabis, cannabis plants and seeds and cannabis oil, among others.

Edibles are expected to become legal by Oct. 17 come next year – which could be just days before the federal election, currently set to take place on or before Oct. 21, 2019.

Comments (16)

Up 6 Down 1

Alex Parasite on Jan 2, 2019 at 6:30 pm

I'm sure they already have, but wait until the government figures out it can get way cheaper bunk by importing from economically challenged areas with better year round climates and none of the "living wage" difficulties faced here at home.

Then it'll turn into a further mess by having to subsidize the market here at home because we can't compete with places like Jamaica and Mexico and Uraguay.

Our government has missed a huge opportunity to save on almost every front by simply decriminalizing weed. Instead they have decided to try milk the new cash cow never noticing it's actually an old bull.

Fairly ironic that the nonsmoking public gets a chance at paying it's unfair share of on the job training while the government figures out how to make a dollar by spending ten schlepping inferior products at inflated prices. I mean, I smoke and I find the ineptitude offensive so imagine a non smoker.

Watch for the import play to become the norm and the small locals will have no chance at competing then. Only the big players as they will willingly invest in infrastructure in other countries without a care for standards of living or quality of product.

I love the smell of burning piles of money wrapped in bureaucratic bungling.
Red tape...too bad you can't smoke it!

Up 14 Down 15

Rural Resident on Dec 31, 2018 at 5:20 pm

Was in a lineup near traffic lights near superstore today.
Strong odor of pot from a vehicle in the lineup.

Up 8 Down 18

Yukon Justice on Dec 31, 2018 at 4:58 pm

Marijuana is dangerous. I heard of a guy lifting a bale down off a barn loft when it fell on him. Lesson learned, if you toke, work safely and keep your WCB up to date.

Up 22 Down 6

Apex Parasite on Dec 31, 2018 at 2:45 pm

Such a mess!
I feel the black market will be alive and thriving for the foreseeable future.

Why would I go to a legal source to buy overpriced shwag that's been bouncing around loose inside a plastic jar and by the time I get it it's so dry you can hardly roll it. Know what else is wonderful about the brown plastic jar?.....static electricity that ensures the resin that has broken off the the prematurely dried flowers will be adhered to the inside of the jar.

The powers that be are so out of touch with the culture and practices it's not even funny.
Legalize it...lol...careful what you wish for!

Up 29 Down 13

Juniper Jackson on Dec 31, 2018 at 12:10 pm

Alcohol, tobacco products, drugs.. are not allowed for purchase with public funds.. of course, we all know that if one spends ALL their bucks on booze, and the kids don't have any food, welfare cuts you another tidy check.. and again..and again.. until welfare day!!! Repeat the process.. I wonder how many welfare dollars are going to buy pot? Maybe, when the devices are reliable and fine tuned, we should test, and for booze and tobacco too.. if you're on it..no money? I do not care if you.. or you.. or you.. are a drunk, a junkie or a pothead..I don't care..it's your life, live it however you want.. BUT..I don't want to pay for it.

Up 9 Down 3

Kj on Dec 30, 2018 at 2:59 pm

@ north of 60
YLC annual report from 2017 states they sold about 8 mil worth of wine in that year. Wine was the lowest of the three categories at the LC. So comparatively if marijuana was sold through YLC it would be the lowest sales.
This doesn’t account for illegal sales....which I would suspect would be slightly higher in the weed category than alcohol...

Up 19 Down 7

Mervin on Dec 30, 2018 at 2:12 pm

In light of the obscene profit that the government is raking up with marijuana sales could we see some allowance to seniors, disabled, ptsd, ms, parkinsons, epilepsy persons for pain relief and anxiety reduction? Say 2 and 1/2 grams a day gratis to deal with these afflictions. The program looks affordable and will reduce other medical bills and demands.

Up 12 Down 6

Josey Wales on Dec 30, 2018 at 1:17 pm

Hey North...indeed, good point.
Allow me to add to it...
Pizza sales...
Drive through traffic...with a pink lung driver but of course.
Plummeting crime stats, folks to lazy to steal, to lazy to fight and argue...less WGH Range road Hilton Sr/Jr. visitors.
Given how we absolutely seem to embrace/ENABLE fetal trauma via irresponsibility and booze, wonder what the future holds for the wee bunch of cells trying to survive prior to...that water slide called birth...entering this highly enlightened and progressive society of alleged intelligence?

Thank Angela in Ottawa and the SS reps they have here as we blaze it all down.

Up 11 Down 7

Josey Wales on Dec 30, 2018 at 12:58 pm

Hey Rural Resident...I am picking up what you are putting down, but not new low. We have been willingly electing fools of all stripes awhile, also willfully surrendering our individual importance via ID politics and really, really STUPID collective philosophies.
Political blowholes of every level use pandering and polarizing as good corralling tactics for whom they view as “their” subjects.
Really is absolutely no different than the Middle Ages, or any tribal factions fiefdoms of power simply put.

Our latest idiot in Ottawa, has clearly instructed its officers in arms to Vette and scrutinize our very citizens more than...far more than the many millions that washed ashore since its daddy pulled that genie of cultural Marxist doctrine outta the bottle.

So no, that low I refer to, was the Marianna trench of revisionist PC Crusader absolute CRAP engineered by the same team. Different NPC drones however, post circa 1982ish....no lower could we go.
No new low, reminders of our descent into engineered madness.

Says my CCR&F rights of opinion and expression, individuality ...rich indeed I know.

Up 28 Down 4

North_of_60 on Dec 29, 2018 at 1:35 pm

To show this in a proper perspective, the article should indicate the value of alcohol beverages sold during the same time frame.

Up 28 Down 29

Rural Resident on Dec 29, 2018 at 12:25 pm

This is a new low for our society.

Legalization should involve private sales. Everyone should know that it can be addictive and the police should have effective tools to keep impaired drivers off the road which is currently not the case.

Seems like a failure.

Up 24 Down 20

HighOnLife on Dec 29, 2018 at 10:17 am

THC - ‘take his cash’. Jees, if you really need cannabinoids in that volume to get you through the day/night, on life’s journey, you ain’t doin’ it right.

Up 26 Down 12

yukonertoo on Dec 29, 2018 at 5:51 am

YTG's sales tactics have its shortcomings. Their products are over packaged and expensive. They might buy product in bulk and use baggies like all good drug dealers. Still, very glad that legalization has come and not too soon.

Up 24 Down 11

Bill williams on Dec 28, 2018 at 11:01 pm

It's now legal for the gov to sell weed when in 1978 in Alberta I got 6 months for having 2 oz of the stuff. They charged me with possession for the purpose and were going to make an example of me. What a rotten deal I got because Alta had the attitude of Texas north.

Up 35 Down 6

Herb on Dec 28, 2018 at 9:56 pm

The black market is virtually unhurt since legalization as the gubmint weed is impotent, overpriced and only available during business hours.

Up 32 Down 4

Groucho d'North on Dec 28, 2018 at 5:20 pm

So how much profit did government net on a million in sales? A complete Profit & Loss (P&L) statement would be nice to see.

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